Gil Levanon & Kat Rohrer- "Back to the Fatherland"

Israeli filmmaker Gil Levanon and Australian filmmaker Kat Rohrer speak about their film, "Back to the Fatherland," a documentary exploration of Israelis living in Germany and Austria today.

Anat Goren's four-chaptered documentary looks at the the Dayan family, a story integrally linked to the mythology and history of the State of Israel. It follows five generations of Dayans, beginning at the turn of the 20th century through today.

Mexican director Isaac Ezban came to New York to speak at the First Mexican Jewish Film Festival, to show his new film, "Evil Eye," and to promote Mexican filmmaking. Isaac also speaks about and screens one of his early short films, "Kosher Spaghetti."

Lebanese writer/director Oualid Mouaness discusses his award-winning film "1982," a harrowing portrait of one of the most cataclysmic moments in Lebanon’s history- told through the lens of a child and his vibrant imagination.

What can history tell us about the present? Filmmakers Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker (Karl Marx City) search for answers about what history can tell us about the present, taking inspiration from Sebastian Haffner’s 1978 German best-selling book The Meaning of Hitler. Shot in nine countries, the film explores what Hitler means in the current waves of white supremacy, antisemitism, and the weaponization of history. 

Filmmaker Barak Heymann and former member of Knesset Dov Khenin talk about "Comrade Dov," Heymann's documentary portrait of the controversial politician and academic, who successfully worked across the political divide, even though he represented the Communist party in Israel's parliament.

Director Alon Schwarz discusses “Tantura,” his controversial documentary. The film investigates disputed events at the Palestinian village of Tantura in 1948, where survivors claimed to witness a massacre of civilians by Israeli troops.

Eric is joined by first-time Israeli director Orit Fouks Rotem and lead actress Dana Ivgy to discuss "Cinema Sabaya," winner of the Ophir Award for Best Picture of 2022. It's a film about a group of Arab and Jewish women who attend a documentary workshop where they learn to challenge preconceived beliefs and come together as mothers, wives, and women through filmmaking.

Dani Menkin has made both narrative and documentary films. His 2016 documentary, "On the Map' was about Maccabi Tel Aviv's victory over CSKA Moscow in the 1977 European championship. This film focuses on the unusual journey by Aulcie Perry, an African-American, who was a member of that team.

Filmmaker Oren Rudavsky discusses his film "Joseph Pulitzer: Voice of the People," which tells the story of the remarkable Jewish newspaper publisher.  

Shortly before the death of A.B. Yehoshua in 2022, director Yair Qedar explored various aspects of the author's life. Renowned as one of the greatest living Israeli writers, Yehoshua's impact on Jewish cinema is profound. In his film "The Last Chapter of A.B. Yehoshua," Qedar reflects on how Yehoshua confronted themes of illness and widowhood, yet ultimately chose love as he embarked on his final journey, highlighting the resilience against antisemitism in his narratives.

Laura Bialis, producer and director of the documentary filmmaking project "Vishniac," discusses her film that delves into the life and work of Roman Vishniac. As one of the foremost photographers capturing pre-war Jewish life in Eastern Europe, Vishniac's work also serves as a poignant reminder of the antisemitism that affected the Jewish community during that era, making it a significant piece in the realm of Jewish cinema.